Jun 22, 2011
The third core value identified by Global Connections relates to support structures (see the complete list of core values at http://www.globalconnections.co.uk/resources/codesandstandards/membercareguidelines). The responsibility for missionary care should be shared by the sending agency, the supporting church, personal friends (including advocate teams), and member care specialists.
Good practice, say the folks at Global Connections, includes:
To be effective, details should be spelled out in writing to answer such questions as:
Notice particularly the topic of rest. This would refer not simply to a cessation of work but to an opportunity to be spiritually and emotionally revitalized as well. (We’ll talk more about this later.) With the never-ending demands of ministry, and the shortage of laborers, missionaries will often not give themselves permission to take a break. Good missionary care will insist that they do and will provide in practical ways to make it possible.
You may want to consider drafting a memorandum of understanding that specifies the goals, the areas of responsibility each party seeks to cover, and particular means to be employed in meeting the goals. This is especially important if the parties do not all reside in the same area. (We are seeing more and more “virtual teams” developed that harness the capabilities of electronic means of communicating between people in diverse locations.)
Each group - the sending church, the mission agency, the advocate team, and the missionaries themselves - should receive a copy. The document should be reviewed periodically to determine if all the bases are being covered and if any changes are in order to ensure more effective or more efficient provision of care.
Good missionary care requires the involvement of a wide spectrum of people. You can be one of them.
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